UPDATE: TERRAS: Clinical display sees Weymouth hit Redditch for four

WEYMOUTH ripped up the Southern Premier League formbook and threw it away on Saturday, as they outclassed Redditch and produced a scintillating four-goal show.

If recent records were anything to go by prior to kick-off at the Valley, Jason Matthews’ men stood no chance against Redditch, who have flown up the Southern Premier League table and passed the Terras in recent weeks.

But player-manager Matthews asked for a response from his troops after four straight defeats, and they certainly delivered against the Reds, who had won three games on the spin before the weekend’s encounter.

Matthews made one alteration to the XI that languidly fell to a disappointing loss at at home to Banbury on Tuesday evening, with defender Ashley Wells recovering from injury to start in place of Jacob Jagger-Cane, who was touch and go with a heel problem and took a place on the bench.

And although he did not feature, winger Adam Kelly, who penned a new 12-month deal with the club last week, was also named as a substitute as he continues to recuperate from a hamstring problem.

This switch allowed Jake Green to take Jagger-Cane’s place in the Terras’ midfield, which proved to be a masterstroke in what was to follow.

On a tired end-of-season surface, which was by no means conducive to get the ball down and pass to feet, the Terras showed their ruthlessness and took their only real opportunity to get in front during the opening period, with just 12 minutes on the clock.

After Isaac Vassell had skipped away from two men on the left- hand side, he delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area which was only half-cleared by the home defence, allowing Steve Colwell to pick up the loose ball and strike home the opener.

Omari Sterling-James, who scored when Redditch defeated Corby in midweek, nearly added another goal to his tally after he struck a vicious shot at goal, but Terras’ stopper Matthews was equal to the effort and beat the ball away for a corner Wells then found his way into referee Matthew Wilkes’ book after he brought down the lively Sterling-James just short of half-time.

The Terras came out after the interval and produced the passing move of the game, after some patient build-up play, Stewart Yetton delivered a ball across goal for Rigg, whose effort whistled narrowly wide of the post.

But Weymouth maintaining possession so comfortably frustrated the home side, and when Rigg was brought down in the midfield by Redditch’s Sam Youngs, the resulting free-kick eventually found its way out to Vassell once again.

The winger then whipped in another accurate delivery to find Green at the back post, who made no mistake in nodding the ball home to double the Terras’ advantage after 54 minutes.

And although hosts Redditch brought on more attacking op-tions in search of a lifeline, it was Rigg and Vassell who then combined eight minutes from time with a neat set-piece move to put the game to bed.

From Rigg’s corner, Plymouth loanee Vassell moved sharply to peel away from his marker in the area, and glanced his header precisely into the net from close range.

With his side 3-0 up, Matthews’ day then got even better as he was needed to produce a fine save from the penalty spot after Cam-eron Young had got the wrong side of Michael Walker inside the area.

Rigg then capped his impressive display to complete the rout when he added his name to the score- sheet on 88 minutes.

Jamie Richards showed more tireless work in the middle of the Weymouth midfield to break up play and allow his team-mate to pick the ball up, skip past a defender and blast the ball into the roof of the net to seal an emphatic Terras’ win.

The triumph puts Weymouth up to 11th place in the table and if Matthews’ charges win both of their remaining league games, starting with today’s home en-counter with Truro City, they will be guaranteed a place in the top 10.